Richard Lovelace (1618–1657) was an
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
poetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
in the seventeenth century.
Early life and family
Richard Lovelace was born in 1618. His exact birthplace is unknown, but it is documented that it was either
WoolwichWoolwich is a suburb in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River Thames, though the tiny exclave of North Woolwich is on the north side of the river. Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
,
KentKent , originally Cantia, is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the River Thames estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent...
, or
HollandRotterdam
The Hague
Haarlem
Dordrecht |} Holland is a name in common usage given to a region in the western part of the Netherlands. The name 'Holland' is also often informally used to refer to the whole of the country of the Netherlands...
. He was the oldest son of Sir William Lovelace and Anne Barne Lovelace and had four brothers and three sisters. His father was from an old distinguished military and legal family.
His mother, Anne Barne (1587-1633), was the daughter of Sir William Barne and Anne Sandys and the granddaughter of Cicely Wilford and
Edwin Sandys (archbishop)Archbishop Edwin Sandys was an English prelate.He was Anglican Bishop of Worcester , London and Archbishop of York . He was one of the translators of the Bishops' Bible.-Life before the death of Mary I:...
, an Anglican church leader who successively held the posts of the
Bishop of WorcesterThe Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England.The diocese covers the county of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and parts of the City of Wolverhampton. The Episcopal see is at the Cathedral Church of...
(1559-1570),
Bishop of LondonThe Bishop of London is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
(1570-1576), and the
Archbishop of YorkArchbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
(1576-1588). He was one of the translators of the
Bishops' BibleThe Bishops' Bible was an English translation of the Bible produced under the authority of the established Church of England in 1568. It was substantially revised in 1572, and this revised edition was to be prescribed as the base text for the Authorized King James Version of 1611.-History:The...
. His brother,
Francis LovelaceFrancis Lovelace was the third son of Sir William Lovelace and his wife Anne Barne of Lovelace Place, Bethersden and Woolrich, Kent. He was the younger brother of Richard Lovelace, the Cavalier poet...
(1621-1675), was the second governor of the
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
colony appointed by the
Duke of YorkThe title Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch...
, later King
James II of EnglandJames II & VII was King of England and Ireland as James II, and Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
. He was also the great nephew of both
George SandysGeorge Sandys was an English traveller, colonist and poet, the seventh and youngest son of Edwin Sandys, archbishop of York and was the uncle of Richard Lovelace , an English poet in the seventeenth century.-Life:...
(2 March 1577 – March 1644), an English traveller, colonist and poet; and of Sir Edwin Sandys (9 December 1561 – October 1629), an English statesman and one of the founders of the
London CompanyThe London Company was an English joint stock company established by royal charter by Eugene and Katrin on October 26, 1606 with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America. It was not founded as a joint stock company, but became one under the 1609 charter...
. The Lovelaces owned a considerable amount of property in
KentKent , originally Cantia, is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the River Thames estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent...
. Unfortunately, Richard Lovelace’s father died during the
siege of GrolThe Siege of Grol in 1627 was a battle between the Army of the Dutch Republic commanded by Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange and the Spanish controlled fortified city of Grol , during the Eighty Years War in 1627. The Spanish army led by Hendrik van den Bergh came to relieve Grol, but it came too...
when he was only nine years old
In 1629, when Lovelace was eleven, he went to Sutton’s Foundation at Charterhouse .
CharterhouseA Charterhouse is a Carthusian monastery. The word is derived from Chartreuse, the first monastery of the order having been established in a valley of the Chartreuse Mountains.It can refer to numerous monasteries:It can also refer to:...
was a school in London. However, there is not a clear record that Lovelace actually attended because it is believed that he studied as a “boarder” because he did not need financial assistance like the “scholars” . He spent five years at Charterhouse, three of which were spent with
Richard CrashawRichard Crashaw , English poet, styled "the divine," was part of the Seventeenth-century Metaphysical School of poets.-Life:...
, who also became a poet. On 5 May 1631, Lovelace was sworn in as a “Gentleman Wayter Extraordinary” to the King. This was an “honorary position for which one paid a fee” . He then went on to Gloucester Hall, Oxford, in 1634.
Collegiate career
Richard Lovelace attended Oxford University and he was praised for being “the most amiable and beautiful person that ever eye beheld; a person also of innate
modestyStandards of modesty are aspects of the culture of a country or people, at a given point in time, and is a measure against which an individual in society may be judged...
, virtue and courtly deportment, which made him then, but especially after, when he retired to the great city, much admired and adored by the female sex" by one of his contemporaries,
Anthony WoodAnthony Wood or Anthony à Wood was an English antiquary.-Early life:He was the fourth son of Thomas Wood , B.C.L. of Oxford, where Anthony was born...
. At the age of eighteen, during a three-week celebration at Oxford, he was granted the degree of Master of Arts. While at school, he tried to portray himself more as a social connoisseur rather than a scholar, continuing his image of being a
CavalierCavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I during the English Civil War . Prince Rupert, commander of much of Charles I's cavalry, is often considered an archetypical Cavalier.-Early usage:...
. Being a Cavalier poet, Lovelace wrote to praise a friend or fellow poet, to give advice in grief or love, to define a relationship, to articulate the precise amount of attention a man owes a woman, to celebrate beauty, and to persuade to love . Lovelace wrote a
comedyComedy as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse generally intended to amuse, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in Ancient Greece...
, 'The Scholars,' and a
tragedyTragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that, paradoxically, offers its audience pleasure...
titled 'The Soldiers,' while at Oxford. He then left for Cambridge University for a few months where he met
Lord GoringLord Goring may refer to:*George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich , prominent Royalist in the English Civil War*George Goring, Lord Goring , eldest son of the above...
, who led him into political trouble.
Politics and prison
Lovelace’s poetry was often influenced by his experiences with politics and association with important figures of his time. At the age of thirteen, Lovelace became a “Gentlemen Wayter Extraordinary” to the King and at nineteen he contributed a verse to a volume of elegies commemorating Princess Katharine . In 1639 Lovelace joined the regiment of Lord Goring, serving first as a senior ensign and later as a captain in the Bishops’ Wars. This experience inspired the 'Sonnet. To Generall Goring.' Upon his return to his home in Kent in 1640, Lovelace served as a country gentleman and a justice of the peace where he encountered firsthand the civil turmoil regarding religion and politics.
In 1641 Lovelace led a group of men to seize and destroy a petition for the abolition of
EpiscopalAnglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures...
rule, which had been signed by fifteen thousand people. The following year he presented the House of Commons with Dering’s pro-
RoyalistCavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I during the English Civil War . Prince Rupert, commander of much of Charles I's cavalry, is often considered an archetypical Cavalier.-Early usage:...
petition which was supposed to have been burned. These actions resulted in Lovelace’s first imprisonment . Shortly thereafter, he was released on bail with the stipulation that he avoid communication with the House of Commons without permission. This prevented Lovelace, who had done everything to prove himself during the Bishops’ Wars, from participating in the first phase of the
English Civil WarThe English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. The first and second civil wars pitted the supporters of King Charles I against the supporters of the Long Parliament, while the third war saw fighting between supporters of...
. However, this first experience of imprisonment did result in some good, as it brought him to write one of his finest and most beloved lyrics, '
To Althea, from PrisonTo Althea, from Prison is a romantic poem written by Richard Lovelace in 1642. The poem is one of Lovelace's best known works, and its final stanza's first line is often quoted. Lovelace wrote the poem while imprisoned in Gatehouse Prison for petitioning to have the Clergy Act 1640...
,' in which he illustrates his noble and
paradoxicalA paradox is a statement or group of statements that leads to a contradiction or a situation which defies intuition. The term is also used for an apparent contradiction that actually expresses a non-dual truth...
nature. Lovelace did everything he could to remain in the king’s favor despite his inability to participate in the war.
Richard Lovelace did his part again during the political chaos of 1648, though it is unclear specifically what his actions were. He did, however, manage to warrant himself another prison sentence; this time for nearly a year. When he was released in April of 1649, the king had been executed and Lovelace’s cause seemed lost. As in his previous incarceration, this experience led to creative production—this time in the form of spiritual freedom, as reflected in the release of his first volume of poetry, "Lucasta" .
Literature
Richard Lovelace first started writing while he was a student at Oxford and wrote almost 200 poems from that time until his death. His first work was a
dramaDrama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a collective...
titled 'The Scholars.' Unfortunately, this play was never published; however, it was performed at college and then in London. In 1640, he wrote a tragedy titled 'The Soldier' which was based on his own military experience. When serving in the Bishops' Wars, he wrote the sonnet 'To Generall Goring,' which is a poem of Bacchanalian celebration rather than a glorification of military action. One of his most famous poems is '
To Lucasta, Going to the Warres-See also:* To Althea, from Prison* 1640 in poetry, the year Lucasta was written* 1649 in poetry, the year the poem was published...
,' written in 1640 and exposed in his first political action. During his first imprisonment in 1642, he wrote his most famous poem '
To Althea, From PrisonTo Althea, from Prison is a romantic poem written by Richard Lovelace in 1642. The poem is one of Lovelace's best known works, and its final stanza's first line is often quoted. Lovelace wrote the poem while imprisoned in Gatehouse Prison for petitioning to have the Clergy Act 1640...
.' Later on that year during his travels to Holland with General Goring, he wrote 'The Rose,' following with 'The Scrutiny' and on 14 May 1649, 'Lucasta' was published. He also wrote poems analyzing the details of many simple insects. 'The Ant,' 'The Grasse-hopper,' 'The Snayl,' 'The Falcon,' 'The Toad and Spyder.' Of these poems, 'The Grasse-hopper' is his most well-known. In 1660, after Lovelace died, "Lucasta: Postume Poems" was published; it contains 'A Mock-Song,' which has a much darker tone than his previous works .
William Winstanley, who praised much of Richard Lovelace's works, thought highly of him and compared him to an idol; "I can compare no Man so like this Colonel Lovelace as Sir Philip Sidney,” of which it is in an Epitaph made of him;
- “Nor is it fit that more I should
- Lest Men adore in one
- A Scholar, , Lover, and a Saint" .
His most quoted excerpts are from the beginning of the last stanza of
To Althea, From PrisonTo Althea, from Prison is a romantic poem written by Richard Lovelace in 1642. The poem is one of Lovelace's best known works, and its final stanza's first line is often quoted. Lovelace wrote the poem while imprisoned in Gatehouse Prison for petitioning to have the Clergy Act 1640...
:
- Stone walls do not a prison make,
- Nor iron bars a cage;
- Minds innocent and quiet take
- That for an hermitage
and the end of
To Lucasta. Going to the Warres:
- I could not love thee, dear, so much,
- Lov'd I not Honour more.
Chronology
1618- Richard Lovelace born, either in Woolwich, Kent, or in Holland.
1629- King Charles I nominated “Thomas [probably Richard] Lovelace,” upon petition of Lovelace’s mother, Anne Barne Lovelace, to Sutton’s foundation at Charterhouse.
1631- On 5 May, Lovelace is made “Gentleman Wayter Extraordinary” to the King.
1634- On 27 June, he matriculates as Gentleman Commoner at Gloucester Hall, Oxford.
1635- Writes a comedy, The Scholars.
1636- On 31 August, the degree of M.A. is presented to him.
1637- On 4 October, he enters Cambridge University.
1638-1639- His first printed poems appear: ‘An Elegy” on Princess Katherine; prefaces to several books.
1639- He is senior ensign in General Goring’s regiment - in the First Scottish Expedition. “Sonnet to Goring.”
1640- Commissioned captain in the Second Scottish Expedition; writes a tragedy, The Soldier. He then returns home at 21, into the possession of his family’s property.
1641- Lovelace tears up a pro-Parliament, anti-Episcopacy petition at a meeting in Maidstone, Kent.
1642- 30 April, he presents the anti-Parliamentary Petition of Kent and is imprisoned at Gatehouse. After appealing, he is released on bail, 21 June.
The Civil war begins on 22 August, he writes “
To Althea, from PrisonTo Althea, from Prison is a romantic poem written by Richard Lovelace in 1642. The poem is one of Lovelace's best known works, and its final stanza's first line is often quoted. Lovelace wrote the poem while imprisoned in Gatehouse Prison for petitioning to have the Clergy Act 1640...
,” “To Lucasta.”
In September, he goes to Holland with General Goring. He writes “The Rose.”
1642-1646-Probably serves in Holland and France with General Goring. He writes “The Scrutiny.”
1643- Sells some of his property to Richard Hulse.
1646- In October, he is wounded at Dunkirk, while fighting under the Great Conde against the Spaniards.
1647- He is admitted to the Freedom at the Painters’ Company.
1648-On 4 February, Lucasta is licensed at the Stationer’s Register.
On 9 June, Lovelace is again imprisoned at Peterhouse.
1649- On 9 April, he is released from jail. He then sells the remaining family property and portraits to Richard Hulse. On 14 May, Lucasta is published.
1650-1657- Lovelace’s whereabouts unknown, though various poems are written.
1657- Lovelace dies.
1659-1660- Lucasta, Postume Poems is published.
.